Inflatable headboard system

ABSTRACT

An inflatable headboard system is provided having an inflatable bladder having a port for inflation and in preferred embodiments a cover. A fastener is provided either on the inflatable bladder or on the cover. When the fastener is on the inflatable bladder, the cover has openings to coincide with the positioning of the fastener.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an inflatable headboard system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior Art

Headboards are available in many forms from wrought iron to wood to foam. These headboards attach to the frame of the bed and are often not very comfortable, requiring a person in bed to pile pillows together for comfort when sitting up in bed. Headboards are often time consuming to put together and heavy to transport. Lighter headboards have been made from cheap foam with cover loops that hang from a curtain rod.

Headboards have also been made from just a metal frame which hooks onto the bed frame with a cover on top. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,399, a headboard frame includes a pair of opposed side members temporarily held together by separable center sections. A two-ply fabric cover is formed from front and rear panels slightly greater in length than the corresponding length of the headboard frame and can be slipped over the frame and secured by a hook and loop fastening strip.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,910, an inflatable headboard is provided having a mounting means for fixedly attaching the headboard to the head of a bed. Alternatively the inflatable headboard has a first and second pocket on its backside and a mounting means having a first end for fixedly attaching the headboard to the head of a bed and having a second end to be inserted into said pockets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An inflatable headboard system is provided having an inflatable bladder having a port for inflation and in preferred embodiments a cover. A fastener is provided either on the inflatable bladder or on the cover. When the fastener is on the inflatable bladder, the cover has openings to coincide with the positioning of the fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear view of an inflatable bladder with port and fastener.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an inflatable bladder with port and fastener.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the inflatable bladder having looped attachments and rod for mounting to the wall.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of inflatable bladder inside a removable cover.

FIG. 5 is a view of the inflatable bladder inside a removable cover mounted on a wall between mounted brackets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to an inflatable headboard system comprising an inflatable bladder having a port for filling the bladder, one or more fasteners for removably attaching the inflatable bladder to a wall to serve as a headboard and a removable cover having openings matching up to the one or more fasteners. The inflatable headboard system is advantageous over the prior art because it is very compact, easily portable for craftsmen and manufacturers, is cheap to manufacture and to ship due to its light weight and compactability and can be compressed to a small size, taking up only a small amount of storage space in a store. The inflatable headboard system is easy to put together and can include designs, whether on the inflatable bladder or on the headboard cover, which are easy to clean and also easy to exchange. The headboard is quick to put together, with inflation taking approximately 2-6 minutes for a twin bed size with the time increasing proportionally to the size of the inflatable bladder to be filled. The inflatable headboard system is also comfortable, removing the need for extra pillows and can easily be made softer or harder by adding or removing the filler material, which in preferred embodiments is air. However, it is possible in certain embodiments to partially or completely fill the inflatable bladder with another material such foam, water, gel or polyester fiberfill.

The inflatable bladder of the present invention is preferably made of plastic which can be inflated through a port opening. In certain embodiments, the headboard may comprise more than one bladder for inflation and more than one port. The plastic material can be compressed to a small size for transportation and for storage. Inflation allows for softer or harder fitting as desired by the consumer. The port opening can be located anywhere on the inflatable bladder but is preferably on the back or on the bottom so that it is not visible when the headboard is mounted. In one embodiment, the inflatable bladder is self inflating with e.g. the pump mechanism being integral to the inflatable bladder and including a cord for plugging directly into a wall outlet. A pump and cord may instead be provided separately as a separate component. However, it is possible that no pump may be provided, as any air pump e.g. a bicycle pump would be appropriate.

The inflatable bladder may be made of a material capable of being decorated such as a plastic which can have patterns or designs on it. These decorations can be in a matt or shiny finish and preferably, the surface is non-stick so that a person leaning against the headboard does not have a sticking sensation when moving off the headboard. The inflatable bladder can be provided in different sizes and shapes, e.g., rectangle, half moon, scallop or oval. The removable cover also may be provided in different sizes and shapes.

In preferred embodiments, the inflatable bladder has one or more fasteners for removably attaching the headboard to a wall. Examples of suitable fasteners include VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener), hooks, looped attachments through which a rod (made e.g. of plastic or wood) can be inserted, with a mounting attached to the wall to hold the rod to the wall, tape, picture hook, nail, screw, suction cup, brackets or any other fastener sufficient to support the weight of the headboard and removably attach it to a wall. In one embodiment, the headboard is removably held in place by two or more brackets through which the headboard can slide for removal. The brackets can be made e.g. of wood or plastic or any other suitable material and may contain further decorative elements. The brackets can be lined up on the vertical or horizontal sides of the headboard and in certain embodiments can be L shaped. The brackets are spaced at an appropriate distance to hold the headboard in place, yet allow the headboard to be slid in and out easily for cleaning or decorative change. In certain embodiments, the cover or inflatable bladder may have a fastener in addition to the brackets to ensure the headboard sits level and does not tip. It is also possible for the brackets to be placed on three sides or even four sides for a picture frame appearance. When the brackets are located on all four sides, at least one of the sides opens or comes off easily to allow for sliding removal of the headboard.

Although in preferred embodiments, the fastener is on the inflatable bladder, in alternative embodiments the fastener can be on the cover. In preferred embodiments, the portion of the fastener which attaches to the wall is small in size and the system itself is removable so as to create little or no marking or damage to the wall after the headboard is removed.

In preferred embodiments, the fastener is one or more VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) sections. In certain embodiments, the VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) sections are about four inches in width by about two inches in height. The VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) sections may be located in a horizontal line approximately three fourths of the way up the back of the inflatable bladder and in any event should be designed to balance the weight of the headboard so that it does not tip forward off the wall. In one preferred embodiment for a headboard for a full sized bed, there are three VELCRO® sections located in a horizontal line located about nine to about twelve inches from the top of the inflatable bladder. The sections are approximately about four inches in width by about two and one-half inches in height. Two of the VELCRO® sections are spaced about eight and one-half inches in from the sides of the cover, with the third located in the center and equidistant from the other two sections (about thirteen and one-half inches from each section). In certain embodiments, smaller or larger headboards could have smaller or larger VELCRO® sections with spacing adjustments made to accommodate the difference in size.

In certain embodiments, a removable cover is provided which can be removed for cleaning or if a new cover is desired. The cover can come in various materials including fabric, suede, leather, plastic, vinyl and fur (synthetic and natural) and may be designed to match bed coverings. The cover also may have decorative designs and ornamentation on it. The decorative designs or colors may in certain embodiments coordinate with bedding such as bed covers, sheets, blankets.

The cover may also be gusseted which is desirable to provide a smoother fit. The size of gusset will vary based on the size of the inflatable bladder when inflated. The gusset is preferably about three inches for a headboard for a full sized bed and may be wider for a larger headboard or narrower for a smaller headboard.

The removable cover itself may be made of a single piece of fabric with sides like a fitted sheet. It also may fit completely around the inflatable bladder and have an opening for removal of the cover from the inflatable bladder that closes with any suitable fastener. In certain embodiments, the opening extends along the bottom of the cover and up one of the sides. The port is preferably located somewhere along the opening. In one embodiment the opening runs about three inches up the side and ends near the top of the port which is also located on the side. Examples of suitable fasteners for the cover include a zipper, buttons, snaps, VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener), (whether as a long strip or smaller strips), ties, or an envelope closure wherein the fabric closure overlaps (e.g. like a pillow sham). In certain embodiments, the closure is decorative, for example, decorative ties or buttons that even can be located on the front of the headboard. In preferred embodiments, the fastener is a zipper.

The opening for the cover may be located anywhere on the cover and may be of varying length but must, in any event, be long enough to allow the inflatable bladder to be easily removed from cover. The opening is preferably on the top or the bottom or on the back of the headboard so that is not visible when the headboard is mounted. When the cover is gusseted, the opening may be on the gusset, preferably on the top or bottom gusset. It is also possible to extend the opening further around the cover so that it encompasses two or three sides or possibly even encompasses the entire circumference of the headboard such that two separate pieces of fabric are removably attached together. Preferably, the opening is located horizontally along the length, and more preferably along the back of the headboard or along the bottom so that it is not visible when the headboard is mounted.

In certain preferred embodiments, the cover has one or more openings in the backside which match up to the fasteners on the inflatable bladder. Having the openings for the fasteners on the inflatable bladder with openings in the cover to match the position of the fasteners is preferred as it allows for a smoother fit of the fabric without the sagging or gathering of fabric that would result from the fastener being on the cover. The openings may be of varying size and shape, but must be sufficient in size and number to allow the fasteners to securely fasten the headboard to the wall. The fasteners and cover holes are preferably designed so as to allow the headboard to securely attach to the wall without tipping. The openings will be the same size as the fastening sections or slightly larger. In one preferred embodiment for a headboard for a full sized bed, there are three openings in a horizontal line, matching up to three VELCRO® sections. The openings for the full sized headboard cover are about four inches in width by about two and one-half inches in height. The openings are evenly spaced horizontally across the cover and are preferably located about nine to about twelve inches from the top of the cover with two of the openings about eight and one-half inches from the sides of the cover, with the third section located equidistant from the other two (approximately thirteen and one-half inches from each other). Headboards covers for larger headboards may in certain embodiments have larger openings, whereas a smaller headboard may have smaller openings.

In certain embodiments, the cover itself has a means for attaching the headboard to a wall. Suitable examples include VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener), hooks, looped attachments through which a rod (made e.g. of plastic or wood) can be inserted, with a mounting to hold the rod attached to the wall, tape, picture hook, nail, screw, suction cup or any other fastener sufficient to support the weight of the headboard and removably attach it to a wall. The cover may have one long strip of VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) or may have two or more sections located in various locations on the back of the fabric. Preferably the VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) or other fastener is located on at least two or more different locations on the cover. Even more preferably, the fastener is in two or three locations in a horizontally line across the back of the cover.

The VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) sections may be located in a line approximately three fourths of the way up the back of the cover and in any event should be designed to balance the weight of the headboard so that it does not tip forward off the wall.

Also enclosed with the inflatable headboard system are one or more mounting fasteners to be attached to the wall. Examples are the complimentary side of VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener), tape, screws, hooks, rods and fasteners to mount the rod when loops are used to hang headboard, or brackets which may be mounted. In certain embodiments, mounting fasteners are provided separately.

In certain other embodiments, an inflatable bladder is replaced with a material other than inflatable plastic. For example, the headboard can be made of foam which contains a fastener for removably attaching the headboard to the wall. The removable cover would have openings matching up to the fasteners.

The inflatable bladder and fitted cover can come in various sizes. For example, the inflatable headboard system of the present invention can be sized for conventional beds such as a cot, single, twin, full, queen, king or california king sized beds. In certain embodiments, the headboard for a cot size bed would be about 28-32 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 30 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a single size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 34-38 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 36 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a twin size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 37-41 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 39 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a full size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 52-56 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 54 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a queen size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 58-62 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 60 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a king size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 74-80 inches by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 78 inches by about 30 inches. The headboard for a california king size bed, in certain embodiments, would be about 70-74 by about 28-32 inches, and preferably about 72 inches by about 30 inches.

The inflatable headboard system can be custom mounted at any desirable height usually based on height of bed itself. In preferred embodiments, the inflatable headboard system is mounted several inches over the mattress to allow the maximum comfort and easy removal of the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an inflatable bladder for removable mounting as a headboard having a front (A) which may contain decorative designs or colors which can match bedding, a port (B) for inflating the bladder with air, a strip of tape or VELCRO® (i.e. hook and loop fastener) (C) located on the rear of the inflatable bladder for detachably mounting the headboard to a wall. In FIG. 1, the fastener is a single strip extending horizontally across the headboard and located approximately one third of the distance from the top of the headboard or conversely two thirds of the vertical distance from the bottom.

FIG. 2 shows the back of an inflatable bladder for removably mounting as a headboard having a rear (A) having three spaced fasteners for attachment (B) and a port (C).

FIG. 3 shows an inflatable bladder (A) for removably mounting as a headboard having looped attachments (B) which may be made of plastic, fabric, rope or any other material strong enough to support the weight of the mattress when inflated, a rod (C) which is inserted through the loops and which may be made of wood or plastic or any other material capable of supporting the mattress on a bracket fastener (D) which is attached to the wall and which can support the rod (B). The inflatable bladder has a cover (E) having opening for insertion of the looped attachments of the inflatable bladder openings in the top (F). The cover has a sealable opening (G) through which the inflatable bladder may be inserted or removed when cleaning or replacing the cover. In alternative embodiments, the cover itself, rather than the bladder contains the looped attachments.

FIG. 4 shows an inflatable bladder for removably mounting as a headboard (A) inside a removable cover (B) having a gusset (C). The cover has an opening (D) along the horizontal bottom edge of the gusset and partially up the left side through which the headboard may be removed from the cover. The opening (D) can be closable by any conventional fastener such as a zipper, snaps or buttons. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a port (F) is located along the bottom side of the inflatable bladder so that it is accessible for adjusting the air fill of the bladder by accessing the port through the opening (D) without removing the bladder. The inflatable bladder has mounting fasteners (E) and the cover (B) has one or more openings (F) matching up to the mounting fasteners so that the headboard can be removably mounted while providing a smooth appearance for the cover.

FIG. 5 shows an inflatable bladder for removably mounting as a headboard (A) having a removable cover (B). The headboard is removably mounted on a wall by sliding the headboard between mounted brackets (C). The brackets are spaced to allow the headboard to easily slide in and out of place while holding the headboard to the wall. In certain embodiments, the headboard may additionally have a fastener (D) to prevent the headboard from tipping. 

1. An inflatable headboard system comprising a plastic bladder capable of being inflated and having a port for inflation and a fastener for detachably mounting the plastic bladder to a wall, and a cover having openings positioned to coincide with the positioning of the fastener.
 2. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a single strip of a hook and loop fastener.
 3. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is two or more sections of a hook and loop fastener.
 4. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder has looped attachments for detachably mounting the inflatable headboard system through which a rod can be inserted, with a mounting attached to the wall to hold the rod to the wall.
 5. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is selected from the group consisting of hooks, tape, picture hook, nail, screw, suction cup, brackets.
 6. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the further comprising brackets for removably attaching the plastic bladder to a wall by sliding the plastic bladder between said brackets.
 7. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the cover is made of two separate pieces of fabric which fasten together.
 8. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the cover has a fastener to allow for easy opening and removal of the cover.
 9. The inflatable headboard system of claim 8, wherein the fastener for the cover is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, buttons, snaps, a hook and loop fastener, ties, or an envelope closure wherein the fabric closure overlaps.
 10. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1 having more than one bladder and port.
 11. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder is self inflating.
 12. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the cover is gusseted.
 13. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the cover is designed to be removable.
 14. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the cover is color and stylistically coordinated with bedding on a bed.
 15. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder is filled with air.
 16. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder is filled with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, water, gel and polyester fiberfill.
 17. The inflatable headboard system of claim 8, wherein the port of the inflatable bladder is accessible through the opening.
 18. The inflatable headboard system of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises two or more fasteners located to securely attach the headboard to a wall without tipping.
 19. An inflatable headboard system comprising a plastic bladder capable of being inflated and having a port for inflation and a cover having a fastener for detachable mounting the headboard to the wall.
 20. An inflatable headboard system comprising a plastic bladder capable of being inflated and having a port for inflation and a fastener for detachably mounting the headboard to a wall and a cover which covers the front and sides of the inflatable bladder and has at least one opening on the back or the top of the cover. 